Focus on Christ

"10 Brothers and sisters, I ask all of you to agree with one another. I make my appeal in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then you won't take sides. You will be in complete agreement in all that you think.
11 My brothers and sisters, some people who live in Chloe's house have told me you are arguing with each other. 12 Here is what I mean. One of you says, "I follow Paul." Another says, "I follow Apollos." Another says, "I follow Peter." And still another says, "I follow Christ."

13 Does Christ take sides? Did Paul die on the cross for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I'm thankful that I didn't baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15 No one can say that you were baptized in my name.

16 It's true that I also baptized those who live in the house of Stephanas. Besides that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.

17 Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to preach the good news. He commanded me not to use the kind of wisdom that people commonly use. That would take all the power away from the cross of Christ" (1Cor 1:10-17).


Even though the above passage in Paul refers to a specific group of the house church of Chloe, it is very timely for us as well.
Our focus should not be in the specific Christian denomination we belong to. Our focus should always be Christ. We do not worship the Church, or at least we should not, we worship Christ.
I believe that our denominations are merely a language that facilitates our coming together. I may speak Catholic; whereas you may speak Lutheran; someone else may speak Baptist. It doesn't matter what language we use to praise and give glory to God in community, what matters is that we do it. It would be nice if we all spoke the same language, but being that we are all different, we speak to God in different ways. It is important for us to come together as a community focused on Christ. It is important for us to share in the praise of the God who loves us.
There is not exactly correct was; all the Christian languages have flaws. If we really focus on Christ, it doesn't matter how we do it. If we truely focus on Christ and become his followers, it is easy to accept the differences of others.
We should come to our churches with the object of developing fellowship and love for one another. In focusing on Christ, the difference melt away, for we are all one in Christ.

Peace and Love,
Sue

"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)